gearing



2 Sheets-Sheet 1'.

M G. GEARING. Process and Apparatus for Manufacturing Illuminatiug Gas.

No. 294,554. Patented June 4,1878.

Inwmar 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

O. GEARING.

Process and Apparatus for Manufacturing Illuminsting Gas.

Patented June 4, 1878.

N. PETERS. PHOTO-LITNOGRAPNER. WASNINGTON D C sated by: guneso A $1 33; &Q-,, ;h s de igna- GHARLES: GEABLNG, 0E. BITQSBURGM BENNSXLVTANIA, ASSIGNQRQ OF ONE- HiAlpFHiISiRIQrHfDTQ SAMUEL HARE-ER; on SAME PLAtGE p ficati ni o m ne r i s srsl tsu o- May 8 2,04 5&4, iz tetl ,June 4, 1878 imputation filed 1T0 .aillrw am; ii-may; center-n;

fi-iiiz known that I GHA-RLEs GEAltING, of? Bittshurg, Allegheny:- county, Be nsylmni have inventedi inew; and; ussfnlr mpmszement in Brocesses andzADPEtmtus for the, Manufacture. of; Gas fon Illuminating and-other; Bur- My invention relatesltqsfl emennfestnreofg gassffromi petroleum-i on otheri liquid; hydrocarbons; and stems ands consists; in! afurnac containing a, series of,=-reto1 'ts1 with; snitsble connections, constructedi nd; arrangedsfonautomatic action, wherebx w p edi hsdmc s. hon sndgases evolwedgfromisteam, superheated; in closed retorts in contact with silicious,,b0 wlders, or, with b'owlders-and; fmgments'of iron, are combinedato cons i utes-fixe gassbyi h proeessihereinaften described;

Mthedrew-ings, igure 1, isas pe spestisel view. of. my gasrgenerstiug rnaqe- E gr- Z s, sit entiqalvsection othesames Eig- 3 ;is.is.p1sn; view ofthetop nf hems n urnace w thi hssow. el ingrliemowedh Rigs, is s seotion tlwiew Q i twoiadjagent;isetoiztsmzit1;{theiri conte ts E g- 5,-is1a, seotionaLview of; the exhaustsrs 01% ta o-- uum-pro usingi devic w h which i maintain sicontinuous ow-Qflg seouselemen sa h oughg the etonts. Eig, fi-islsi, seqtionshview 01 my devise fot ee ngspet1n1eumtohe apo i -ing;retonts. Fig.1'is=.atseqtional wietw of; my 1 devisefot rQ usi s-m1lve i edi ssnboniintoi he-finsknmduct:ofr hefiurnsn co st t' nsta ness ni w d stins pss s E nd-E a i ns osingi i smbet costs-mine en h Qfinetosts,;wh. ch are hor e fl r cs1 ndsns whose nds; proje t hrough the, wells; of the nsce andi ne tonissotetttoge heshy e tstnshpip ssm ass siformi hnse groups 011-- se i s, A,. fin!1 n hepp m ns hown, withiwhich I: hat steame y; actual: experiment he esults:- slaime y ath smug 012 series ofi rstprts 2011-; fl ns our elements; but; donot; mi myse s thissnume t Thegmups alfi WllllQOWd; by Qonntas ngn ne s i h ndsn- Q f hfi lettens A o and; he e ements of ea h; series nt s omen indi.

tiomalso llustrating. hs rde -q p ogyession of; he p ocess! Themain. chamber f ofi the main furnace .F isi a ewerberatoI-y chamber in which the necessary. heat is, maintained as, hereinafter explained.

The inner lining ofthe cha nper ttngl of the ;anxi1iary chamber f is of lire-brisk or other refraotory materiah andthe onten-iwallsrof or- ;dina rybriek, leaving between -thetwo, on two zQDPQS Q sid s and. top f E, s; spa en ,tu qned; into horizontal; return-fines a, as shown by he ton iew, Fig. in o ming t-cont n passage, in which air drawn from the outside ;isgheaj-ted and; transmitted; into the-auxiliary \ohamberffor heating the retonts flexternal- 1y, whence it is after-ward; drawntoaid; combustionsinf and may. be alSmOther ise utilized; asw libe-exp ained- At e b ttomior'. bene h heq sm e f and conneeted with itby fines 010, is a fireplace, b, used for generating thel eat necess ny to the operation. Twpihorizouta htnbes, 0,;0, elosediatthein real: endsiand communicat- 11% with. he firep c y shsnne sgia, s fi g iagonally. downwande tintstt s 0f eight inehes or thereebout, are laidinthemasonry iat the, sides of the fire-pla ce b and are used or snpp y ngmir or supe e ed; stssmii l aid of: c m ustion.

A pipe entering at (land. emergingat-d between-the lining-afidiout r wall, passingas the chamberfon three sides, is used; fQIE superheatingsthe steam prior tQitfijIlt-LQQUGC-iOH into retortss'A.

V hown. nsection n=E g- )1 h t 0 num-pm nc ng dev ces, wh ch L enomin he *t hauster, and: is :used; at various points .toms ntsin the continuity. of: he proce s y vva umsspnoduceddn t nnecting-pipes y ia jet of decomposed steam; pigojeot ed" from a ozzle, mintnthe outh of- -e it-tube, in an; inclsse ch mbe t n. he pmra shownlmse t ree of these, nd catedsby the il gttersfif W W.)

, Eonfeedingipetroleum, into the porizi s qt s, use an a m zer, (showsliiuzsec n iim-Fi 6;) in whieh theoil-fee lingzpipee is exi sn e mp wi hin, the menus-chambe and terminates at the mouth of and stands at right angles to the steam-injecting nozzle n.

All the retorts contain bowlders or rounded silicious stones, held between interior perforated heads '6, which serve to mingle and distribute the gases passing through among the bowlders. I have found the final result to be improved by distributing in the steam-decomposing retorts A A A A fragments of iron of the size of a goose-egg, or thereabout, uniformly with the bowlders, in the proportion of about one-third iron to two-thirds bowlders. All the other retorts contain stones or bowlders only, and these as nearly pure silica as can be obtained from the ordinary river deposits used in their natural state.

I have found, after a course of experiments extending over years, that these silicious bowlders produce far better results than any other materials, such as fire-brick, &c., and prevent any residuum or carbon deposits in the petroleum-retorts, and also facilitate the decomposition of steam.

The-first series of retorts, A, is used for heating and decomposing steam, or for heating steam to such a degree that its gases will more readily combine with the hydrocarbon gases in the subsequent operation. These retorts are of cast-iron, capable of resisting an internal pressure of fifteen or twenty pounds to the square inch.

The second series, B, is for the vaporization of the hydrocarbon in contact with the superheated or decomposed steam.

The third series,C, is for the more perfect combination of the gases thus produced into a fixed gas for use. The last two series of retorts may be construct-ed of fire-clay.

A chimney, D, is provided for the escape of the waste products of combustion. The box R, connected by its outlet-tube h with the final exit-tube S of the furnace, is used forimpre-gnating the final product of the apparatus with pulverized carbon, when it is desired to use the gas for fuel purposes, in which a mechanical admixture of carbon is of advantage in increasing its heating properties. A pipe, 1)", connects the chamber f 2 with retort A through the siphon V through which air may be drawn to dilute the gas when used for fuel purposes. A similar pipe, 12 connects the chamber f with siphon V to supply heated air for combustion in the fire-place b.

Having thus described the parts and indicated their functions, the operation will be readily understood, and is as follows: The furnace being heated (as will be hereinafter explained) to a cherry-heat, steam from an ordinary steam-boiler is admitted into pipe d, bein g superheated in its passage around the furnace, as before explained, and emerges at d, whence it passes into retort A, and from one to another of the series of retorts A in order, by their connecting-pipes, emerging from A, and passing into retort B through pipe 10 and oil-feeding device or atomizer V The jet of steam, or the gases evolved from its decomposition, passilig through the chamber of the atomizer, draivsinto it through the pipe e, connected with a reservoir, a quantity of petroleum, which is carried with the jet into the retort, the quantity being regulated by a suitable valve in the supply-pipe 6.

By this means the mechanical separation of the petroleum into minute particles contributes to its partial vaporization by the heated steam, and its combination therewith before entering the retorts, and greatly facilitates the subsequent completevaporization and combination with the steam-gases in the retorts.

The combined gases pass thence, through the series of retorts B, in contact with the heated surfaces of the contained stones or bowlders, and from the seriesB to series 0, through pipe I), where the highest temperature of the furnace is encountered. In their passage through retorts C the gases are brought, as before, into contact with a large extent of heating-surface afforded by the silicious bowlders, and in a state of comparative subdivision, and a thorough combination is effected and a fixed gas produced, which is drawn off by exhauster V and forced through pipe S to a holder.

The combustion necessary to maintain the required heat of the furnace and retorts may be produced by fuel in the ordinary manner upon a grate in fire-place b but I prefer to use petroleum, at least for maintaining the heat. and have done so in two ways, which I will explain.

A shallow metal pan is placed upon the grate of the fire-place b, and filled with small bowlders of the same character, except as to size, as those in the retorts, after the furnace is partially heated. I admit superheated steam through pipe S from retort A, passing through exhauster V, which also serves as an injector, whence it is injected into pipes 11 p, and, through horizontal tubes or channels 0 0 and g g,into the fire-place b. By means of the injector V a quantity of petroleum is drawn in through supply-pipe e partiallyvaporized, and projected, with the steam-gases, into the fireplace b. Heated air is also drawn from chamber f through pi pe p and follows the same course.

By channels g g the combined current is projected upon the bowlders of the pan, before mentioned, and intense combustion ensues,

the inflamed gases passing up through channels c 0 into combustion-chamber f. The amount of air and petroleum is regulated by valves in the respective feed-pipes.

I prefer, however, another mode, which consists in admitting the pretroleum into a horizontal pipe laid in the bottom of the pan before mentioned, where it feeds by gravity from an elevated reservoir, and is vaporized and inflamed by the combined current of heated air and steam-gases projected upon it from tubes 0 o and channels 9 g, as before described.

In using the final product of gas for fuel purposes, it is desirable to dilute it by an admixture of air, which is drawn. from chamber f through pipe 19, andprojected by siphon iXfl.

Fig. 7.

V, operated by steam-gases admitted through s into retort A, whence it follows the course before described. For use in this connection, pulverized carbon in the form of coal, coke, charcoal, or other carbonaceous material, is placed in the box R, and drawn through the perforated partition :1: into the lower part 3 which is a vacuum-chamber produced by an adaptation of my vacuum device, as shown in A jet of the steamgases issues through nozzle n, being drawn from retort A through pipe 19", passing thence into the mouth of tube h leading intothe final exit-tube S, by which the particles of carbon are carried and mechanically mingled with the final product of the furnace. In this case the gas is not passed into a holder, but used for fuel at the point of final exit, when the particles of carbon are ignited by the combustion of the gas.

The process herein described and the circuit of operations through my apparatus are, as will be seen, continuous and automatic, and may be regulated by suitable valves in the connecting-pipes to graduate the admission of steam-gases, air, or petroleum, as may be necessary.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a gas-generating furnace such as described, the combination of the main combussion-chamber f having air-passages a, auxiliary chamber f and series of retorts A B O, constructed and arranged for operation substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a gas-generating furnace such as described, the combination of a combustionchamber, f, having air-passages a in its walls, fire-place b, having side flues 0 and branches g, and channels or flues 0, arranged for operation substantially as set forth.

3. The process for the manufacture of gas, consisting, first, in superheating and decomposing steam; then passing it, together with petroleum, through retorts containing silicious bowlders at a high temperature; and, lastly, in passing these gaseous products through other retorts containing silicious bowlders at a high temperature, to thoroughly combine the gaseous elements into a fixed gas for illuminating purposes, substantially as described.

4. In a gas-generating furnace such as described, the steam superheating and decomposing retorts A, filled with silicious bowlders, with iron fragments interspersed, substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

5. In combination with a main chamber, having airpassages a in its walls and auxiliary chamber f containing retorts of a gasgenerating furnace such as described, the return air-flue 19, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. In combination with a gas-generating furnace having a main combustion-chamber, f and an auxiliary chamber, f heated by a current of air at high temperature, a returnflue, p and exhauster V, arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have set my hand.

CHARLES GEARING.

Witnesses:

J. S. BROWN, L. M. HOSEA. 

